Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

Name: Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 10 (2 cookies each)
Ingredients: 1 cup almond flour; 3 tbsp good quality butter, softened; 3 tbsp brown sugar; ½ tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp cinnamon sugar (optional for garnish)

December 1, 2017

These gluten-free brown sugar shortbread cookies are buttery with a hint of caramel and cinnamon for an easy treat that everyone will love.

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These slightly sweet, flourless shortbread cookies use only 4 ingredients and come together in just 15 minutes. Eat them warm or cool, as is, or cut them into shapes and dust with sprinkles or powdered sugar for holiday baking fun.

When coming up with an idea for a Christmas cookie, I immediately started to think of ways to make it healthy. I mean, that’s what I do for a living. The idea of a healthy cookie is an oxymoron if ever there was one. However, there are a few ways to create a “healthier” cookie. If you care to hear about this during the holiday season, read on. If not, skip on down to the recipe because these brown sugar shortbread beauties are tasty no matter how you slice ’em!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies that are ready in 15 minutes!” quote=”Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies – ready in 15 minutes! #ChristmasCookies”]

Ways to make a healthy or healthier cookie:

Go all the way with a whole grain or no grain, no-sugar added, free from all the things cookie.
Take a traditional cookie recipe and reduce the sugar and butter and or swap in a whole grain or nut flour.
Make a traditional cookie in mini form – and vow to eat less of them.

With this recipe, I used a combination. These cookies are only two bites each, use real (good) butter and almond flour as the base. The almond flour adds a boost of nutrition (protein + fiber) that you just won’t get from regular flour. Plus, it lets you swap some of the butterfat for healthy fats in almonds. The cookies are surprisingly tender and tasty with only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes prep.

NOTE: You must use almond flour – not almond meal – for this recipe to work. Almond meal is too coarse to hold the cookies together. Here’s the easy recipe for you to try.

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5 from 6 votes

Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

Made with almond flour, these gluten-free brown sugar shortbread cookies are buttery with a hint of caramel and cinnamon for an easy and fun cookie that your guests will love.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond flour cookies

Servings: (2 cookies each)

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Marisa Moore Nutrition

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour
3 tbsp good quality butter, softened
3 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon sugar (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Add the almond flour, butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula (or clean hands), knead the mixture until a moldable dough forms.
Place it on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tube shape about 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate the dough up to 30 minutes, if needed.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Slice the cookies into ¼ inch rounds and place on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
OPTIONAL: Sprinkle each cookie with extra brown sugar or cinnamon sugar for a festive touch.
Bake the cookies 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. When done, the cookies will be golden brown on the bottom and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan about 10 minutes to allow the cookies to set. Place on a wire rack to completely cool before storing.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal

24 Comments on Flourless Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

Silvia - Garden in the Kitchen
December 1, 2017 at 4:26 PM (2 years ago)
They look heavenly!
Reply
- Marisa
  December 1, 2017 at 4:38 PM (2 years ago)
  Thank you, Silvia!! Reply
Erin @ The Speckled Palate
December 2, 2017 at 9:15 PM (2 years ago)
These shortbread cookies just look and sound divine, Marisa! And the photos are GORGEOUS. I love the idea of making a cookie recipe a little "healthier" and making them smaller. Good ideas!Thanks so much for participating in this year's Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange! This has been so much fun and seeing so many gorgeous cookies has me excited for ALL THE BAKING this year! Reply
Julie
December 3, 2017 at 3:08 PM (2 years ago)
I love how simple these are - so few ingredients, but such a great flavor. Brown sugar cookies are so delicious! Reply
- Marisa
  December 4, 2017 at 1:41 PM (2 years ago)
  Thank you, Julie! The simplicity makes this one of my keeper, go to recipes for sure! Reply
Kayechamp
December 4, 2017 at 1:29 PM (2 years ago)
Could I use just whole wheat flour instead of almond flour? My son has a nut allergy. Reply
- Marisa
  December 4, 2017 at 1:41 PM (2 years ago)
  Hi! Thanks for stopping by. I haven't tried this recipe with whole wheat flour so can't say. It may work but you'll likely need to add baking powder and may need to adjust the butter since the almond flour contributes some fat. (I think it would be a different recipe) In any case, I'd suggest using a whole wheat pastry flour so the shortbread is not too heavy or dense. Reply
Meredith
December 4, 2017 at 9:54 PM (2 years ago)
These cookies look delicious! Definitely pinning to try soon... Reply
- Marisa
  December 4, 2017 at 10:43 PM (2 years ago)
  Thank you! Please let me know if you make them! Reply
LeAndra
December 10, 2017 at 10:03 AM (2 years ago)
These sound really good. I've only baked with almond flour once, but I'm saving this idea for the next time! Reply
- Marisa
  December 10, 2017 at 10:18 AM (2 years ago)
  I have a huge bag that I’m working through. It’s actually quite versatile and tasty! Reply
Valentina
December 3, 2018 at 4:01 PM (7 months ago)
4 ingredients and 15 minutes. Awesome! My son is GF so I'm always interested in flourless baked goods. These sound divine!
Reply
- Marisa
  December 3, 2018 at 8:18 PM (7 months ago)
  Definitely, give these a try. I was surprised by how tender they bake up! Reply
Jacque Hastert
December 3, 2018 at 5:27 PM (7 months ago)
These would make a great cookie to hand out to the neighbors!
Reply
- Marisa
  December 3, 2018 at 8:17 PM (7 months ago)
  I agree! They are so easy to make that you can spend time decorating if that's your sort of thing! Reply
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog
December 3, 2018 at 5:28 PM (7 months ago)
These look gorgeous! Next time I need almond cookie recipe, I will definitely try yours!
Reply
- Marisa
  December 3, 2018 at 8:17 PM (7 months ago)
  Definitely give them a try but these don't have a pronounced almond flavor - though you'd expect them to. Using blanched almond flour helps. They taste a lot like a caramel-flavored shortbread. Reply
Tayler Ross
December 3, 2018 at 5:46 PM (7 months ago)
This is such a simple and delicious cookie to add to my Christmas cookie trays!
Reply
Tisha
December 3, 2018 at 7:26 PM (7 months ago)
I'm loving how easy these are!!!
Reply